Loss and Gain
by Aegis Sapphire
Summary: May Sterling had lived a tough life. She hopes to spread kindness and creativity with her traveling tribe of artisans in hopes that maybe the world will be a little kinder to those who are away from her. But what was the origin story of the lady with the kind eyes and gentle demeanor? This is story of Mercury's mother and how her search started.


**I saw that Mercury basically has an opposite theme to Yang. I also heard in the song that he was 'ripped from the earth and exposed to the Sun.' I interpreted that as he was basically stolen from his mother. So this idea came to my mind.**

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There once lived an assassin and his wife. They lived a ways outside of town; close enough for some defense from grimm, but far away enough for some privacy. The wife was anything but happy. She initially married him because he promised her safety when she had no one else to turn to. He was there for her in a time of need and she thought she loved him. She needed a home and she blindly agreed to marry him only to find herself in a worse situation. He was possessive, he was greedy, and he claimed to love her despite the beatings. She put up with it hoping that maybe someday, something would change. However, the beatings and violation only got worse when he decided to make her conceive his child. She tried to take preventatives to spare a child of a world of pain and violence but, he locked her into their room and would not let her out until he was sure she had no means of preventing their child from being conceived. But, then one day, a faunus huntress came with her child in hand. The huntress fought the assassin alone until she chased him off. As a thanks, the wife decided to make some dinner but the huntress insisted on helping.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked her.

"I am a huntress. My duty is to serve the people of Remnant. I would have done this for anyone." She told her.

The woman was touched by her kindness.

"What is your name?" She asked the huntress.

"My name is Azurite Bryte. The little girl there is my daughter, River. Who might you be?" She asked her.

"My name is May Sterling." She said.

After making their introductions, River set the table and the women finished cooking dinner. They sat at the table and talked for hours until the soup was gone. After cleaning up, the girls went to sleep. But, the assassin came back the next day, demanding to see his wife again. Azurite opened the door and confronted the man once more.

"You are not welcome here after what you did to her. I will give you one more chance to leave." Azurite said.

"You let me keep what's mine and I won't have to kill you. You may have survived me once before, but that's because I let you." The man warned.

A fight broke out between the two once more. The man taunted the huntress throughout the fight, trying to get her to use her semblance but, she didn't for some reason.

"I know who you are. You don't remember?" She asked him.

He then grinned, like he had just remembered a funny memory.

"Of course I remember you! You had such a distinctive scream. It was a funny scream, especially when your voice started to tire. It started skipping like a broken record. It was hilarious. It made fucking you that much enjoyable." He sneered.

He then noticed River and he smirked.

"Aw, looks like you got something to remember me by. She's cute... too bad she's too old for me to break. Or else I wouldn't have a need to make another one." He said.

"You're sick." She spat.

"Let's see if your scream can still make me laugh." He said.

They continued to fight, seeming to be evenly matched. Azurite didn't dare to use her semblance; the moment she did, he would use his to take it. However, she managed to deplete his aura and she still had some left. She then proceeded to repetitively hit him with her semblance until he ran away. Azurite ran after him until she was sure he was far away. But, she was so worn out that she nearly collapsed. But May had followed them, desperate to make sure her savior survived the fight. Upon finding Azurite, May helped her up and brought her back to the house. As May tended to her savior's wounds, they both agreed upon one thing: they couldn't stay. Marcus was a notorious assassin whom has yet to fail his missions. The next day, the women packed up and left the house to go far away.

Azurite decided to bring May with her on her adventures as a huntress, going from town to town to help people. May always felt guilty however; she felt like she weighed Azurite down. She also felt like she was imposing on her and River. But, Azurite taught her how to fight and even taught little River how to fire a gun in this time, fearing that Marcus might be following them. May could not legally take on huntsman missions but, at least in moments of need, she and River could defend themselves. May barely could even use her aura. But despite Azurite assuring her, May still felt like she was too much trouble for someone who wonderfully helped every town and every person she came across. And she did all this while still being a good mother to River.

Little did May know that it was quite the opposite for Azurite. Having company other than her daughter around made Azurite happier; she had someone waiting with River when she came back from missions. River was also happy to have someone to keep her company while her mother was off going on missions, too. They were both so happy to have someone to count on to help and keep them both company. In time, Azurite had fallen in love with her new companion. Yet, May tried to permanently move into one of the towns so that Azurite and River could move on but they were both heartbroken. Azurite embraced May and proclaimed her love for her then and there much to the shock of her companion and her daughter. May was unsure of her feelings of her companion at the time but felt guilty for trying to leave her and so agreed to remain at her side as her companion and friend, much to Azurite and River's relief.

Soon, five months after they started their journey together, May had been noticing changes in her body. These changes had always been there about a month after they left her little house but, now the changes could no longer be shrugged off or ignored. May was filled with anguish when the doctor in the next town told her that she was pregnant. She had hoped to forget about the man who violated and beat her her. She had hoped to spend the rest of her life journeying with Azurite and River. She was at a loss but Azurite took her hand.

"It's going to be okay, May. I'll take care of all of you. We'll get through this together. I'm here for you." She promised.

May hugged her, crying harshly against her friend. They held each other for a long time after that. It was there that May started to rethink just what she thought of her friend and consider the possibility of being something more. But, she shoved those feelings aside, deciding it was better to focus on her current dilemma; her pregnancy. After a month longer on their journey, they decided to settle in Atlas, hoping that their safety would be assured in such a high tech kingdom. Azurite, however, found it difficult to find a job as a huntress since the military was supposed to handle all issues. Azurite then enlisted into the Atlas Military to gather more funds, much to May's guilt. May couldn't help but feel like she was still weighing Azurite down and destroying her dreams. Azurite used to go from town to town and help everyone who needed her but now, here she was, seeming to waste her time with her when there were more people that needed her. May felt like returning Azurite's feelings would only make things worse.

May was so scared of the day her child would be born. Would she hate him? Could she bond with him properly? Would he just look too much like Marcus? Azurite assured her that if it's all too much for her, they can just re-home the baby and continue on their journey. River wanted to help with the baby and be a big sister so much but Azurite tried to tell her that if May couldn't care for the baby, it was better for it to find a new home. May thought about giving him up so that she, River, and Azurite could continue on their journeys, instead of being stuck in Atlas where Azurite cannot help people in the ways she did as a huntress. Yet, when her son was finally born, Azurite glowed with happiness when she held him. May was going to tell the doctors to take her son so she would not see him and get attached but she did not realize Azurite would take to him the way she did. It was almost as if Azurite was his mother, too.

"May, do you want to see him? He's beautiful." Azurite said with a smile.

Nervously, May nodded. Azurite sat next to her on the bed and handed him to her gently. May looked at him, unsure of what to think. Up until that moment, she had been telling herself not to get attached to him. She cringed when she saw grey hair on his head much like his father. She shivered to think that he might have his dad's steel grey eyes. But Azurite saw something else entirely.

"I think he looks like you." she said.

"What do you mean?" May asked.

"He's got your face. Look at that little nose! Cute just like yours. And those little lips and cheeks! He's just like you." Azurite said with a fond smile.

In spite of herself, May couldn't help but cry. All this time, she just thought of him as something that was not hers. She never considered that part of herself would be in him, too. Azurite kept her arm around her. River beamed with joy when her mother helped her hold him. She sat with him in her lap and promised she would teach him so many things. The women both knew they couldn't give him up. May started to feel more deeply for Azurite. Yet, the guilt she felt for hindering her from being a proper huntress pained her to where she just couldn't return her feelings... not to her anyway. Yet, they both shared the care of her son equally. As he got older, his personality came out.

He was playful and mischievous. He knew one look from his gleaming eyes could melt May and Azurite to no end, much to River's annoyance. He always seemed to get into trouble but it was always the funny kind of trouble such as sneaking candy or an object that was put up where he couldn't get it but then getting himself stuck so that by the time Azurite and May found him, he was asking for help down. River kept her promise everyday: she always found something to teach him, be it how to quietly climb the counters without their mothers noticing, or how to swim, a pass time they both loved doing. They were each other's best friend. Azurite loved to play with him. She would wrestle and tickle him until he'd be collapsed in her lap in a fit of giggles. But May often had him in quieter moments and he would come to her for comfort every time he was hurt or sad. His eyes seemed to shine a shade of silver and his hair matched (although he didn't actually have silver eyes). Mercury Sterling, the brilliant silver child that had brought a light into their life that neither of the women had ever known until they had him.

Yet, they both felt something was missing. They both knew what it was but they were both afraid to bring it up, Azurite for fear of rejection and May for fear of being more of a hindrance. When Mercury turned four, Azurite knew that she couldn't handle being a couple with May and yet, not being a couple. It was getting too hurtful for her. Azurite could see that May was holding back. She knew she had to bring it out in the open. So Azurite waited until May put Mercury and River to bed before to finally bring it up with her.

"May, I love you." Azurite finally said.

May frowned, her heart dropping. Were they really going to do this now?

"I don't want to discuss this now." She said.

"Then when?" Azurite asked.

"I just... I do love you but I..." May hesitated.

Azurite walked up and grabbed her hand.

"But..?" She asked.

"I just, before all this, you were a huntress that went around helping people and then you met me and I've done nothing to help you. Our adventures were fun but I'm just sad that you have to be here with me when you could be out there helping people. I just feel like I'm a waste when there are things you could do for other people." She began.

"Did you ever think to ask me? I'm still helping people just as much by being in the military. But, more than that, my dream is to have a life with you. I don't care where that will lead us. You've done more for me than anyone I have ever helped. I want to be with you and raise Mercury and River together. I love both of you. You're my family." She said.

May became wordless. She started to realize what she had been doing. She had merely been assuming what Azurite's feelings were. She never thought that Azurite was here because she wanted to be. She thought Azurite was just here to help but then, if that were true, she would have no reason to be here. Azurite started crying.

"What have I been doing all this time to make you feel like a hindrance?" She cried.

May quickly put her arms around Azurite, also crying. She realized that she was wrong for assuming she wanted to be anywhere else. They could be happy together there in Atlas, watching their children grow up together.

"Nothing... Nothing at all. I just... I stupidly assumed that was how you felt. I'm sorry." She said.

Azurite pulled away from her and rested her forehead against May's, her hand on her cheek.

"You never have and never will be a hindrance. Having a life with you is my dream. Being with you is all that ever mattered to me." She said.

May smiled and leaned in to kiss her but then there was a disturbance upstairs and screaming. It was coming from Mercury and River's room. Both mothers ran up the stairs, Azurite grabbing her weapon. Mercury bolted out of the room and hid behind May and Azurite. River screamed and Azurite bolted into the room, her semblance at the ready, but for some reason, it failed. May's heart sank upon seeing it: there was only one reason she knew of that could make a semblance fail. A couple shots were fired and River ran out of the room and behind May. Azurite got tossed out of the room but she caught herself.

"Run, May! It's him!" She shouted before going back into the room.

May picked up Mercury and ran downstairs with River in tow. As they made it to the living room, a shot fired in front of them stopped them.

"You're not going anywhere!" Marcus roared before getting hit by Azurite.

Azurite had made the mistake of using her semblance on him in the room with Marcus in there. Currently, he has her semblance and is using it against her. Every time May tried to make an effort to leave, Marcus would block her somehow. He knocked May out with a blow to the head while Azurite was knocked into the kitchen. Sadly May had forgotten to activate her aura. River tried to rouse May desperately while simultaneously shielding Mercury. And then the child heard the commotion in the kitchen stop. River's breathing hitched in her throat as she heard heavy footsteps behind her.

"Hey, girlie." Marcus' voice said in a mockingly sweet tone.

River bravely stood in front of her mother and brother. Mercury hid his face against May while his other hand gripped his sister's hand tightly.

"L-leave us alone, y-you big meanie!" She stammered.

"I'm here to take what is rightfully mine and you cannot stop me, brat. Now move or else I'll take you with me, too. And I won't be nearly as nice to you as I am being now." He said with a threatening sneer.

May awoke and put her arms around both children. However, she was barely able to keep her consciousness. She was dizzy and the sides of her vision were dotted with black. She then glared, her body glowed light green with her aura. Though she never had any formal training with using her aura, she still had some idea how to use it but not enough to heal or shield herself enough at the moment... but it was enough for her semblance to activate. Plant life suddenly erupted around Marcus and took a hold of him. It shocked him and temporarily subdued him but, he still had his weapon. He shot her in the arm which was enough to disrupt her and then he used his semblance to take hers. He broke out of the plants and chuckled while May squirmed in pain from the shot. Despite how much pain she was in, held both Mercury and River against herself tightly with her uninjured arm.

"That was a close one. If you had any formal training, you might have had me. Now be a good wife and let me have my son." He said.

"You're not taking him... I won't let you." She said with a weak snarl.

"Still gonna be difficult, huh? Well I guess it can't be helped." He said, approaching, his weapon drawn.

He tried grabbing Mercury from her but she quickly wrenched her son away from him. Marcus glared and punched her repeatedly until her aura depleted. May tried to get away but Marcus used his blade to cut her arm, severing her hold on Mercury and River. May screamed loud enough to make Azurite regain consciousness but Marcus had obtained the one thing he was there for. Once he had Mercury, whom was kicking and screaming in his grip with blood covering his body, he ran away, not wanting anymore trouble from either of the women. Azurite ran after him while River tried to help her mother stop from bleeding out. May passed out from the blood loss and the slight concussion from the hit she took earlier.

By the time May awoke, she was in the hospital, Azurite crying and River asleep in a nearby chair. May's arm had been partially severed but successfully reattached in surgery. The bullet that hit her other arm also required surgery. The whole encounter permanently crippled both of May's arms and weakened them. She reached for Azurite.

"Az-urrri." She croaked, her voice sore from screaming.

Azurite ran to her and the mothers both cried together in anguish.

"I-I couldn't save him, May! He got away! I tried so hard!" She bawled.

"I couldn't protect him, either! I couldn't fight... because I'm just so weak!" May cried.

They both cried together for what seemed like forever until they choked on their own tears. River could only watch in a quiet sadness as her mothers mourned together. They then sat together silently, their tears long emptied from their eyes. Azurite offered her hand to River, noticing that she was awake. River buried her face between both of them but she didn't let herself break down. She wanted to be strong for them. The family laid together on the hospital bed in quiet mourning and thought. Azurite then made her own resolve.

"I'll get him back. I will retire from the Atlas Military and go alone if I have to! I won't stop until I find your son!" She said.

May put her hand in Azurite's.

"Our son." May corrected.

Azurite smiled sadly.

"Our son... and I won't rest until he's back in our arms." She said.

"I want to go with." River said.

"Me, too. We'll search for him together the moment I'm well." May said.

"You don't have to, May. You've been through enough. You and River can stay here. Besides, your arms need physical therapy if you're to regain proper use of them." Azurite said.

May shook her head.

"I can rehab them myself but I can't live with myself for being unable to protect him and I can't live with myself knowing that you're out there fighting and searching alone. I will learn how to fight so I can get strong, too. I will use these arms to hold all of you. And if I can't get strong enough to fight with these arms, then I will use my legs. I will get stronger for all of you. I promise." She said.

Azurite opened her mouth to protest but then she bit her lip and hugged her. If there was one thing she knew about May, it was that when she was firm in her resolve, there was no convincing her otherwise. And so, once May was well enough to leave the hospital, they left on their long search to find their lost son. They first tried searching in the kingdom of Vale where they first found each other. However, when they got to the old house, they found everything coated with dust and everything exactly the way it was when they left. It looked as if Marcus had never returned and the village never bothered to reclaim the house. So they moved on to search the whole kingdom.

In the meantime, River and May trained to get stronger together, Azurite overseeing their training. But Azurite fought with her fists and her weapon while May's arms weren't strong enough to fight with a style involving primary use of her arms. But ever so determined, May found someone who could teach her a more suitable fighting style, River learning alongside her to be proficient in other fighting styles. With every village and city they stopped at, May found someone to learn how to fight from, River occasionally learning alongside her. But, River took most of her training from her mother, Azurite.

As they went on, May started to learn more than just how to fight from each town; she started to learn about different crafts. With each new town they would visit, May would share some of her knowledge with the locals while Azurite and River would ask around about Mercury and Marcus until they had asked the whole town. It was around the time River was old enough to go to Signal academy that May started to take on a different view about her search for her son. She started to realize that their search was consuming their lives. Maybe it was for the best that they slowed down and also try to live their own lives? They were starting to get into an unhealthy life where they didn't seem to rest or take a single moment for themselves. Not to mention some of the towns they would stop in could use more help than just the few missions Azurite took to gain funds and the lessons May would share. When May gained her own huntsman license in an exam for older adults, she resolved to try helping out the towns in hopes that in exchange for her help, her kind acts would resound through the land and inspire others to do something kind for each other and maybe, just maybe, someone would show a kindness to her son because of an actions she took. Azurite, however, felt like May was giving up on their search. A rift started to form between the pair as time went on. The tension itself guilted May.

Should she be more obsessed over finding Mercury? She was worried, yes. She couldn't sleep without him crossing her mind. Especially with Marcus being the one to watch him. But, what could they do without much of any lead? Not to mention other problems and dilemmas would fall into their laps with how troubled some of these towns were. Maybe helping them would also get more helpers? May decided to try convincing Azurite. But she was met with fury.

"You want to give up?!" She asked incredulously.

"I'm not saying we should give up, I'm saying we should slow down and maybe get more helpers." May said.

"Slow down?! Slow down?! With that monster caring for him?" Azure said incredulously.

"We don't even have any leads, Azurite. And there's other people that have needed our help that we just ignored. I don't think it's right to ignore them. What if we just bypassed people who might have known something?" May asked.

"They would have slowed us down. You don't think I've checked with everyone?" She asked.

"Marcus is clever. He would have either avoided towns altogether or bribe someone to keep quiet. That's what he did with me. Maybe a little kindness could loosen a few lips?" May said.

"Yeah right. If they weren't going to talk before, what makes you think they still will? It's just wasting time. If you're getting tired of looking, you can stay here. I won't condemn you. But I'm not slowing down one bit." Azure said.

"But I don't want to leave you." May said.

"Then keep up." Azurite said.

"Azurite, if we don't slow down, it's going to drive us insane. I'm not saying we have to stop. I just don't think this is healthy anymore." May said.

"Whatever life that psycho has planned for our son is probably ten times worse. I already made my choice, May. So what's your choice?" Azurite asked.

May's heart sank upon hearing that. Yet... Yet she was sure in her ways. There was nothing wrong with what she wanted. She wanted to go about searching for him in a different way that didn't involve working themselves to the bone and barely making enough funds to get by.

"I want to help people along the way. I want to get more helpers, too. What's so wrong with that? Wasn't that what you used to do?" May asked.

"I didn't have a son in the hands of a murderer at the time. Are you saying that you're giving up?" Azurite asked condescendingly.

May grew angry.

"I'M NOT GIVING UP!" She screamed, enraged at such an accusation.

Azurite was surprised to see this coming from May. May never got angry with her at all. Seeing her like this was very hard for Azurite to witness. May took a deep breath, tears falling from her eyes.

"I just can't keep searching for him like this. I want to help people, too. I've always wanted to help people. Maybe they know something or maybe they will help in return." May said.

"And maybe they won't." Azurite said.

"And there's nothing wrong with that, either. But there is everything wrong with ignoring problems that could be fixed if we spared a little time." May said.

"And how much time do you think Mercury has?" Azurite asked.

"How can we know though? We don't." May said.

"Which is why I'm not sparing anymore. Are you traveling with me or not?" Azurite asked.

May shook but... she realized that neither method was right or wrong. Just different and it was the very wedge she knew that would pull them apart. May gulped and knew what she had to say.

"If you're unwilling to make any form of compromise then... I guess we should split up." May said.

This shocked Azurite. She was sure that May would have caved and come with her. Yet, she swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. They were just splitting up, right? Covering more ground separately. Azurite walked over to her and hugged her.

"I will find our son. I promise, May." Azurite said.

May bit her lip, unable to say anything about that. They separated and May rested her forehead against hers.

"I love you." She said, kissing her.

May's lips lingered on Azurite's for awhile but she pulled away.

"I love you, too." Azurite said before leaving.

As May watched her leave, she felt the lump in her throat grow bigger and the air around her grow colder. She had a feeling that Azurite may never come back to her, much less ever find their son. She was anguished when River chose to go search with Azurite but, May knew it was for the best since River was going to learn how to become a huntress at one of the academies when she was older. At first, May stayed at the town Azurite had left her, anguished at her own lonesomeness. But then May met a little girl whom was sitting by a graveyard.

"What are you doing here, little one?" May asked her.

"I'm here to spend time with my sisters." She said.

"Sisters? I don't see anyone." May said.

"I have six sisters. Two went to Signal, two are in Haven, and two are here. All together, we are seven." She said, gesturing to a pair of graves in front of her.

"Oh." May said in a sad realization.

She stared at the graves quietly.

"But, they're dead. They're gone, honey. Why waste your time here?" May asked.

"But they're not gone. They're here." She said.

"Well, when you're dead, you're gone." May said.

"No you're not. They're still here. We are still seven." She said.

May didn't know what to make of this girl's view. In hindsight, she was not wrong. They were here, yes, but they were dead.

"You can't talk with them. You can't play with them, either." May said.

"But I talk to them all the time. That's why I'm here. And when it gets cold, I write to them and then read it out loud when I get the chance." She said with a smile.

May opened her mouth to argue but then thought better of it. This little girl wasn't having any of it from her. She was adamant that she had some sort of relationship with her sisters even though they were gone... but then this thought brightened May. Why not? Why not still live like someone is there even though they're gone? Why not move on like maybe you will see them again even if they're dead?

"One day, I'll die, too. And then I will get to play with them all I want. For now, I just talk with them. Sometimes I sing to them. Wanna sing? I'll play my whistle." She said.

Her 'whistle' was a four hole ocarina. May cringed, backing away.

"I don't sing." May said.

"Sure you can. I can sing! La la la laaaa!" The girl sang.

"I mean, I don't think I sing well." May said.

"That doesn't matter. Come on! They're listening! They'll love it no matter how bad you sing." The little girl said, gesturing to the graves.

May was hesitant but, she decided to humor the girl and sing. The little girl played an easy song that just about everyone in Remnant knew. It was a simple folk song similar to the tale of the maidens: the four sisters. Yet, as she sang it louder, May realized she loved the sound that seemed to resonate through the quiet graveyard. So she gave in and sang her heart out. When they were finished, the little girl looked up at her with a shining smile. She applauded her.

"You are a great singer!" She said with a laugh.

May smiled with a light blush dusting her cheeks. Behind them also came a round of applause. May's singing had drawn a small crowd. May became flustered and scratched her head in embarrassment. The small community had taken a liking to May since she helped them with work that a huntress could only be proficient in. They loved her and seeing her bloom in front of them like she did was wonderful for all of them to see. Other musicians in the town had also gathered and began playing music. No one asked her to sing but May did so anyway after some hesitation. Before anyone knew it, a celebration had started in the town just because they heard her singing. The little girl found May afterwards and gave her the four hole ocarina she had around her neck.

"I want you to have it." She said.

"I can't take this." May said.

"Please?" She begged.

May sighed. How could she say no?

"I'll make a deal with you. I will take it from you but only if you teach me how to play." May told her.

"Okay!" The little girl said, enthusiastically.

"What is your name, little one?" She asked her.

"I'm Melody." She said.

May chuckled. Fitting name for a little one like her.

"My name is May Sterling." She said.

May stayed in the town long enough to learn how to master the four hole ocarina with Melody. After that, she decided to move on to another town to continue her ongoing search. Melody promised to keep an eye out for Mercury in return for the time May had spent with her. In the next town over, May had exterminated a goblin grimm on the outskirts of town. A potter and her apprentice volunteered to house her while May took on more missions and small tasks. In her spare time, May learned from the potter how to mold clay and make things. From it, May made more four hole ocarinas, hoping to give one back to Melody. In the mean time of being the potter's second apprentice, she made several other crafts. May gave some of her crafts away to those whom have done small favors to her, some that needed them, and some to the potter to sell among his own wares. May then returned to the previous town with the potter in tow to give away her other wares and return an ocarina that May had made to little Melody whom promised to love it forever. May taught Melody how to make small clay ocarina's, too. Melody had made enough for all of her sisters, including the two in their graves. Inspired by May's kindness, the potter's apprentice, finally becoming a master herself, decided to travel with her with the necessary equipment in tow so to spread her craft.

The next town they went to, May helped resolve a conflict between a segregated town of people and faunus. She helped them take down grimm with a mixed force of faunus and human volunteers. After defending the town from a pack of beowolves that raided the town every night, the town agreed to a tense truce. To help loosen them up around each other, the potter taught her craft to the residents indiscriminately. May then sang in the middle of the town square with the help of a faunus musician that played the guitar. Other musicians hesitantly started playing but once again, May had brought people together in celebration with her voice. Slowly, the town began to accept each other. The faunus, whom introduced himself as Martin, offered to teach her how to play guitar in exchange for traveling with them. May told him that he didn't have to teach her and that he could just come with. But, he insisted and never one to turn down the opportunity to learn a new craft, May obliged. By the time they had left, the town was happily united. Slowly, from town to town, May's party grew in artisans and musicians. She never lost sight of who she was doing these things for though. She was doing this in hopes that she would either find her son or that maybe the world would at least be kinder for her son in her absence.

She would sing songs that were either known or songs that she had written herself in her journals that she kept. Her group traveled through the lands to share their art and music with everyone. They would teach anyone willing to learn their crafts and all the while, May would make as many people aware of her son as possible. She would do so not expecting them to continue searching for him like she would but so at least a minority of people were aware of him. In the towns that were left in ruin, May and her group would clean them up, burn the debris, bury the dead, and put a memorial in the middle of each town that would read:

_In honor of the brave people that made a life for themselves away from the protection of the kingdoms. May their hope, hard work, and optimism live on forever and be remembered.  
_

May's band of artisans would restore one big house (or whatever house was salvageable) in these ruins in hope for other huntsman and travelers could take shelter or maybe for people to come and bring these ghost towns back to life. In these houses, they would store as much info as they could have gathered about the towns. Once that was done, they would take their leave to the next town. Sometimes their group gained more people at every town and sometimes people decided to stay in one of the towns.

The biggest additions, however, had to be when they stumbled upon a small tribe of Faunus. There were only thirty-six of them after just surviving a recent grimm attack. This tribe usually avoided humans unless one of their warriors brought back one from their travels to marry. They didn't hate humans, they were just scared. But, May and her group offered to help them rebuild their village. After staying with each other for a few weeks, the tribe decided to unite with them and travel along Remnant to spread compassion and artistic expression throughout Remnant as well. After seeing that not all humans would try to discriminate against them, they too wanted to do kind acts for the world in hopes of making it kinder for the Faunus as well.

Some years later, a group of four huntsman came to the traveling group of artisans and musicians led and protected by huntress May. It was River and her team, RILL, that have recently graduated from Haven. Reunited at last, May and River embraced in pure joy. This time, River was with her mother to stay. She and her team became the defense force for the traveling tribe of artisans. But they never needed it; they were a happy group of people. They found that a happy heart, a full belly, and a compassionate community were the best grimm repellent anyone could ask for. So far, it has done nothing but prove to hold true.

While May hopes that she and River will one day find Mercury in their travels, they both had come to terms and accepted that they may never find him. They never stopped searching but they were at peace with the idea that their search may be fruitless. But, if they could make the world a better place with their tribe, then maybe it would reach him and others whom needed to be found, too. Both of them wrote in their journals as if they were talking to him and Azurite. Maybe even if they died, these journals would reach them. River always sketched in hers. She remembered Mercury always did love pictures. The real question was: would the family ever find each other? In the air, if you listened closely at night, you could hear River and May singing songs, calling out to their lost loved ones.

In the mean time, River had fallen in love with the prince of the faunus tribe they were traveling with. His name was Bramble, a deer faunus with an impressive set of horns. The old chieftain died sometime after the battle at Beacon. But, the prince did not feel he was ready for the position as chief. So, he and River decided to unite the groups in some way and, being ever so old fashioned, they decided to do so by marriage. On that day, the tribe of faunus had fully accepted humans as part of its society and they were received with open arms by everyone. But, on that night, the tribe had to have a discussion; if the prince did not feel worthy or ready for his responsibilities as the chief, who was going to take up that role? After much discussion, they asked May to take up the role provided she promised to do her best to keep the tribe happy. She agreed to it on the premise that they would still do what they have always been doing together: traveling together to spread compassion and art to the people. The tribe agreed since they had been traveling with her band of artisans for the same reasons they were traveling, too. And that's how May became the chief of one of the most giving tribes in Remnant. To this day, they continue to travel and share their kindness to the people.

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**NOTES ABOUT CHARACTERS AND THE TRIBE THAT FELT TOO RANDOM TO INCLUDE INTO THE STORY! Or it felt like it would have slowed the pacing too much anyway...**

River - Has a color theme of blues and greens. Her outfit is primarily brown with blue and green accents. Her hair is a pale blue like her mother's. Leader of team RILL. She is a goat faunus, her trait being hooves. From the knee down, her legs are goat legs. She has a very strong kick if she kicks enemies that are behind her. The fur from her knee down is white, her hooves are a pale pink. She's a princess by marriage but seems to forget her rank in the tribe. Has an infant son later on. Loves to draw and is good at it.

Azurite - A goat faunus with long, curly white ears that initially look like a form of hair extension. Has a blue theme, of course. Loves crystals. She's playful in nature and loves fun. She is very outgoing and can charm anyone with her spirited personality... until she developed a borderline unhealthy obsession with finding her son. Thinks of herself as a soldier on an ongoing search and rescue mission. But it is left up in the air as to whether or not she's dead or alive.

Prince Bramble - Has a very impressive set of horns. Afraid to take on the role of Chief. Was relieved when his mother-in-law agreed to take up the role. Has a dark brown color theme. Would rather just have his own family to look after at the moment instead of just the whole village. Nevertheless, he still worries about his village and feels guilty for passing the responsibility to May.

May - A gentle woman with a calm demeanor and the patience of a saint. Probably one of the kindest and most giving people anyone has ever met. Although she can be shy, she loses her timid nature when she needs to. Has a green and brown theme accented with pink and yellow. She loves to sing and help others. She looks to the future and moves forward to do her best for the people she meets. She hopes that she could find her son in the process. She never has stopped searching but she always found some way to appreciate life. Does her best to please both her tribe and the people they encounter. Takes her roll as chief seriously although not afraid to have fun with her tribe.

The faunus tribe - culture may be left up in the air for the sake of the author not knowing what an old faunus tribe would be like. However, there is one key thing that should make them distinct: bead making. The tribe have craftsmen that does lampworking and makes glass beads. They used to be a sign of wealth long ago but, when their numbers dwindled and resources became scarce, the beads where crafted to symbolize the things a person loves most. Every bead was to mean what meant something of significance to the wearer. Often, they were people. Most of the tribe has one in common: the bead that represented the whole tribe. This one was often the biggest but you only wear it if you genuinely mean that the tribe means that much to you. No one is scorned if they don't have it. But, it is common for those born in the tribe to wear it. Then there were beads that could represent your family and friends. These were the second largest beads. They often had one color but they could be accented, too. Most of the tribe do not put anymore beads than the ones that represent the tribe and loved ones on theirs but, they can also have smaller beads that represent hobbies, objects, or even memories. It is said that the more beads you have, the richer your life as a person is. But the wearer has to be honest when wearing them. It's not uncommon for these necklaces to grow or shrink throughout life. But the most important bead one would hope to see everyone have is the bead that represents themselves which are made to be thicker in length. This bead is considered healthy to have and although the wearer is not scorned for missing theirs, it is sad if they don't. These necklaces or bracelets of beads are a very significant item in the tribe and though only made of colored glass, each member holds theirs dear. The tribe will happily make them for outsiders if they ask if they truly mean to have the beads represent someone or something they love.

Members of the tribe before unifying - There were four clans with nine people in them: Seppala, Felidae, Steer, and Exodus.

Seppala clan - Four lead members with two patriarchs that are married with their two sons. Seppala and his husband, Logan, are the two patriarchs. Their sons are Balto and Thorin. Seppala and Thorin are dog faunus while Logan and Balto are wolf faunus. The other members are Lady and Mongo with their three children. Mongo is Seppala's second cousin.

Felidae clan - Composed of four sisters as the lead members: Kike, Havana, Freya, and Savannah. Kike is a cheetah faunus, Havana is some sort of cat (havana brown), Freya is a norwegian forest cat, and Savannah is a serval. The other member include Kike's husband, Solo, and their four children.

Steer clan - Composed of the chieftan, his son and Prince, Bramble, his wife, and their daughter, Fawn. The other five members are Bramble's unruly teenage cousins.

Exodus - a group of outcasted faunus they adopted as part of the tribe sometime before the union of groups. They're technically not a clan, just orphans that the tribe raised together. They are only placed as one clan as a form of differentiating them from the other clans. They are still very much loved by all of the tribe and each family takes turns raising them.

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**A/N - I spent a long time working on this. I'm a little nervous about putting it out there but I hope y'all like it.**


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